Reductil, a popular weight-loss drug is being withdrawn from the market, as it has been linked to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes, mostly in patients with cardiovascular disease.

The withdrawal comes, despite the drug’s New Zealand licence preventing it from being prescribed to people with a history of cardiovascular disease.

Pharmaceutical company Abbott informs it had decided to stop selling Reductil, after consultation with regulators in New Zealand, Australia, the United States and Canada.

The Health Ministry said yesterday the Medicines Adverse Reactions Committee had recommended revoking Reductil’s licence.  However, pulling weight-loss drug Reductil off the shelves has left few options available for people seeking assistance in losing weight.

Speaking on TV ONE’s Breakfast programme this morning, cardiologist Professor Ralph Stewart said there were no easy alternatives, as most other medications came with their own risks.

According to Stewart, weight loss drugs come with a bad record, with the first drug FenPhen withdrawn from the market 15 years ago, for causing heart problems, scarring of the heart valves and hypertension.  The recent crop of new weight loss drugs which had seemed so promising did not even make it to the market, as they were found to cause severe psychological problems.

Xenical, which is still available, blocks fat absorption from the gut having a modest affect on weight, but it also comes with side effects, as by leaving all the fat in the bowel, it causes bowel motions and tummy discomfort.

Used by around 5000 New Zealanders, Reductil, was taken off the market after a ministerial advisory committee decision yesterday, after preliminary results of a major international study involving 10,000 patients found it increased the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Several other countries have come to the same decision regarding the drug.

However, the strokes and heart attacks suffered by some Kiwi uses of Reductil users have had, although because could be health events related to obesity, it is not conclusive how many numbers were contributed to by Reductil.